We've just got back from a few days near Lourdes. We went, first, to meet some friends who are keen cyclists. They had taken their tandem there because the Tour de France is now in the Pyrenées and there are various cycling events arranged around the Tour itself. We prefer to follow the race on tv, which we enjoy a lot - better to see how the race develops than to see it all whizz by in a few seconds, even on the mountains. The contest between Contador and Schleck, the battle behind them among hopefuls, and the sad fading out of Wiggins, Armstrong and all, is a source of interest and amazement.
Lourdes itself is a pleasant and interesting town, if you discount the endless gift shops, or perhaps they even add to the individual charm of the place.
Mary went to the grotto to collect holy water and then we toured the town on the little train, an excellent way to see all the sights in a fairly short time.
The next day we took our friends wine tasting in the coterminous areas of Madiran and Pacherenc du Vic Bilh, north of Tarbes. They had never done this before, and we chose a contrasting pair of producers, the go-ahead Co-op at Crouseilles where Jane took great interest in Mary's earnest discussion with the chap behind the counter...
...and then a splendid individual producer, a woman in a man's world, at Domaine Labranche-Laffont. The vigneronne Christine Dupuy was away at an event but her architect husband welcomed us and showed us the vineyards including some pre-phylloxera Tannat vines which they use for a long-keeping deep-flavoured red. It was a splendid trip to an area I had long wanted to visit for the delicious Pacherenc whites, and where we discovered a range of marvellous red Madiran wines too. The roads and villages in that area are not easy - twisting, difficult to follow on the map, but the countryside is lovely and the Pyrenees often tower in view to the south. We returned delighted with our trip.
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